I'm so frustrated. My physiotherapist wants to send to a ortho surgeon for an mri and to see if surgery is needed. Phsyio, meds, nothing is helping and pain and loss of strength in leg is getting worse. It's been a month. However, I need a referral from my family doctor to go to the ortho surgeon. My family doctor wont' give it. She's wating for the results from an x-ray on Tuesday (which I thought weren't really useful anyway). Why would my family dr not give the referral!! Now, I may have to wait for a long time to get another appt - they are hard to get. Who's in control of my situation - my physio or my family dr?

x-rays are only useful in looking at bone problems. if its a disc/nerve problem....an MRI is the only thing that will detect it. If she refuses the referral right now.....I would PUSH HARD for at least an MRI to be done....and tell her that if she doesnt have it ordered, that you will find a dr that will care enough to get it done!

I just got a call from my dr and they got the x-rays back and now she does want me to go for an MRI. However, she still won't send me to the ortho appt that physio had already set up for Friday. So I'll have to wait for an appt for an MRI thru the hospital. Anyway, at least I'm getting the MRI done now.

Gwenny. I'm not sure entirely how NHS works up there. But you asked who was in control. YOU ARE! And you must take that stance if you want the proper treatment.

It sounds like your family doc is trying to play super doc and wants to be what I call a Maverick and solve all your problems even if she's not specialized enough to do so.

If I were in your shoes and the ability was available to me, I would change doctors now rather than later. If she's not listening to you now.. what happens down the road when or if you get worse? She's doing what she wants without any consult and agreement with you. There MUST be teamwork between you and any doctor you see, especially when it comes to sleuthing out this back crap.

Keep the appointment to get the MRI done. But when you are in there.. ask them to provide YOU with a copy of the report. They may not give you the films, but they should be able to provide you with a "copy" of the written report of what the radiologist sees on the MRI that will be done. And keep them going forward. It will help you if you need to change doctors and then dont have to wait to obtain that record.

This kind of treatment even happens with the surgeons as well. I had one that did nothing but medicate me and send me to therapy for over 2 years. She should have been running more tests over that time to try and find the source of my pain, but she didnt and I suffered needlessly, but I sat back and just did what she told me, not really involved like I should have been to begin with. After this, I learned to take charge of health and advocate for myself, and searched for the right spine surgeon to help me. I found him!

I hope this helps you some and please let us know what you find out with the MRI. If you can continue with the Physio.. do. Keeping up with as much of it as you possibly can is going to help you in the long run.

__________________
"believe in the beauty of your dreams"- E. Roosevelt

L5/S1 bulging @ 18, now 46; still there (but no pain)
Fusion at L4/L5 Apr -2006
Solidly Fused Nov-2006
A Success, but still improving!

Thanks Juston...I lost out on the Fri am appt because they wouldn't book it without a referral from my doctor. But I will try to see if I can get another somewhere else. Otherwise, I have to wait for one of the other hospitals to call back - in Ontario that could be from 1 to 4 months. I'm worried about letting it drag on too long since the leg pain is definitely getting worse, and I can hardly walk on it anymore. I'm taking 20mg oxycontin SR 3x aday for pain and don't want to have to take it for a long time. Also, I havent' been into work and will have to apply for short term disibilty next week. so I was hoping to have an answer soon about whether or not surgery was needed. Otherwise, if it's going to be months from now before I find out, do I need to go back to work in the meantime?